Sullen Souls
by tear the moon
Summary: If it weren't predestined, the evil would be cruel and the good would be docile. But Fate doesn't revel in rules. A MurtaghxOC Story
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Iron swords were murderously clashing as the young black-haired man and his companion tried making their way out of the castle and the city. It was a dark, starless night and the bleakness of the nearing winter send shivers down the spines of the fighting men. It had been raining over the course of the day, so the ground of the road was dirty and muddy.

The young man slipped and fell to the ground and he would be dead by now hadn't been Tornac – the one person he valued most – saving him. The gifted swordsman drilled his sword deep down into the back of the offender and, as a result, covered his protégé in dark blood and soil.

Then they heard further men nearing to take them captive and began anew to fiercely try and save their own lives.

Iron swords were clashing.

If it were for Fate, each of these men's lives would be spared. But this world is callous, so the young man and his teacher were victorious for their own sake. Not wanting to wait another precious moment, they proceeded their way into freedom.

Murtagh ran and ran and for all his life was worth – suddenly – he came to halt. Behind him, Tornac stood still, his arms wide as if he was soliciting one of the many gods for peace.

His face that was full of black dirt was smiling. Smiling that cruel grin of Fate.

Now, Murtagh noticed the soldier behind his friend. He thought he was noticing the slow motion of a dagger being pulled out of his friend's body, standing upright. He thought he noticed another sword being drawn. And then he thought he heard a haunting whisper.

 _"Run."_


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The sun was just descending behind the horizon as the orchestra of wind and rain began their play of blowing and falling. Fiercely, the wind was sure to make every soul find shelter or his rigid coldness would drown them in darkness and death. In this weather, a lonely rider was still heading for his destination. He made her way past leaves and fields and was utterly soaked through when he finally arrived. Dismounting from his horse, he tied the grey stallion to a tree at the wood's edge. Wood's Edge, that was how everybody called this place. Located near a steeply sloping cliff by the storming sea, the cottage was a very lonely place. Just the right place to do the things he wished to do. Secrets that no one must know.

"For an autumn night, it's still pretty relentless, isn't it.", a light and clear voice said to the arriving man. She was not pleased.

"Just like you like your men, right?", he countered, disrobing his wet cloak and hanging it over an empty chair.

Closing the door, the rider found himself in a small kitchen. He saw an oven, a couch that probably had seen better days than this. Dirty windows shielded the inhabitants from unwanted views. Not that anybody would ever want to come here. Unless they had secrets. For him, it was the perfect place. Not because of the loneliness, the enchanted forest or the messy house. He desired something entirely else.

"I've told you not to come." She was angry. He could tell it, and he loved it. Then her red hair would burn like fire, her brows arching in a way that nobody else's did and her fine arms crossing over her delicate breast.

"You did.", he verified. "Yet I want to see her." Staring into her brown eyes, he wanted to take over her. He longing for days agone and prophecies unfulfilled. He needed her, them both.

"You cannot. She is but a small child. She is still save with me.", the woman with the flaming red hair replied and took a few steps backwards as the intruder was coming near her and her child. Though she didn't look a bit like her mother. She looked much like him. Hair brown, eyes blue and a smile that was meant to embrace.

His otherwise steady eyes glanced at the bottom. "Please let me see her", he said, in desperation.

"No" It was decided. And it was futile.

"Then I will take her as planned. When our agreement has come to be complied with.", he said, his eyes becoming hard, like they usually were. He could be unyielding too. Cold, a heart of stone, no mercy in his soul.

"So it shall be" With a sad gaze, she sat down and went back to her work. "Leave now."

With plenty of words left unspoken but not once hesitating, he opened the door and fled that damned cottage by the breaking cliffs at the stormy sea, right there at the world's end.

Some time prior, another child was born. In a dark castle far away, enthroned by obscurity and anger and malice. The place he had to call home, too, was a place of longing. Of also of wanting, willing an forcing. Unlike the little girl, this little boy's life was never save. He was chained, by his father and his ruler. But he never was meant to be conquered. At least not by such preposterous thinks like danger and darkness. Rather by Fate and the little girl she was sending to him.

 **A/N: I'm sorry for the late update! Had to figure some things out. Please note that the chapter length won't be really much longer in the future for must chapters. But I think it will be quite a good story. So please, let me know what you think about the update. :)**


End file.
